Intel Corporation has completed the development phase of its next-generation manufacturing process that further shrinks chip circuitry to 32 nanometers (a billionth of a meter). The company is on track for production readiness of this future generation using even more energy-efficient, denser and higher performing transistors in the fourth quarter of 2009. Intel will provide a multitude of technical details around the 32nm process technology along with several other topics during presentations at the International Electron Devices meeting (IEDM) next week in San Francisco.

Finishing the development phase for the company's 32nm process technology and production readiness in this timeframe means that Intel remains on pace with its ambitious product and manufacturing cadence referred to as the company's "tick-tock" strategy.

That plan revolves around introducing an entirely new processor microarchitecture alternating with a cutting edge manufacturing process about every 12 months, an effort unmatched in the industry. Producing 32nm chips next year would mark the fourth consecutive year Intel has met its goal.

The Intel 32nm paper and presentation describe a logic technology that incorporates second-generation high-k + metal gate technology, 193nm immersion lithography for critical patterning layers and enhanced transistor strain techniques. These features enhance the performance and energy efficiency of Intel processors. Intel's manufacturing process has the highest transistor performance and the highest transistor density of any reported 32nm technology in the industry.

"Our manufacturing prowess and resulting products have helped us widen our lead in computing performance and battery life for Intel-based laptops, servers and desktops," said Mark Bohr, Intel Senior Fellow and director of process architecture and integration. "As we've shown this year, the manufacturing strategy and execution have also given us the ability to create entirely new product lines for MIDs, CE equipment, embedded computers and netbooks."

Other Intel IEDM papers will describe a low power system on chip version of Intel's 45nm process, transistors based on compound semiconductors, substrate engineering to improve performance of 45nm transistors, integrating chemical mechanical polish for the 45nm node and beyond; and, integrating an array of silicon photonics modulators. Intel will also participate in a short course on 22nm CMOS Technology.

I'm impressed. I didnt think Intel would go straight to 32nm but get there via 37nm (Half way between 45nm and 32nm). Reason: it is extremely difficult to go sub 40nm for physical/technological reasons. It they can get to working 32nm silicon without current leakage then EXCELLENT.

The i7 will move to 32nm BEFORE there is any change in the functional design of Intel's CPUs. Dont get too excited about i7 on 32nm. It wont necessarily be a lot lower power, or faster. We will have to wait and see if Intel can beat those physical/technology issues to actually IMPROVE rather than just reduce the size of i7.

Probably the only good thing about this global recession, it gets incredibly harder to convince corporations around the world to spend money (when they are fighting just to survive) on new server/workstation, unless you deliver some serious performance increases that can give them an edge and lower overall power consumption costs, even then...

It will be interesting to see what Intel and AMD (how much longer can they bleed cash???) can come up with just to squeeze some more sales in a market (both consumers and enterprise) where demand will decrease significantly over the next 2+ years

Problem is AMD wont get to 32nm for a while, their roadmap sez 2011 which is a joke since Intel is saying they'll have their 32nm CPUs in Q4 09. I was actually hoping they wont have em on the market until first half of 2010, may be there will be some delay to buy AMD more time but they really gotta get their shit together, i'm afraid they'll fall so far behind they will never catch up. And that will be an end to competion, both average consumers and companies will be able to afford an upgrade only once in 5 or more years if this happens.

Problem is AMD wont get to 32nm for a while, their roadmap sez 2011 which is a joke since Intel is saying they'll have their 32nm CPUs in Q4 09.

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Perhaps AMD will get their roadmap fixed again to compete with Westmere chips (32nm) if they do show a spike in the stock market, I'm begging that Hardspell would show something about that. So far, Lynnfield chips (i5 45nm) was before known to be released in Q3, now its Q2. The hype from both companies is still a bit unstable. So far, I'm trying to hold my breath if games start showing some demand. Once its a bloat, I'm going for the best quad I can afford.

Perhaps AMD will get their roadmap fixed again to compete with Westmere chips (32nm) if they do show a spike in the stock market, I'm begging that Hardspell would show something about that. So far, Lynnfield chips (i5 45nm) was before known to be released in Q3, now its Q2. The hype from both companies is still a bit unstable. So far, I'm trying to hold my breath if games start showing some demand. Once its a bloat, I'm going for the best quad I can afford.

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the thing is that AMD may adjust their roadmaps all they want but it doesnt mean they will deliver on the scheduled date. They have been late with releases lately and it seems that Phenom 2 will be paper launched in january as well. Intel on the other hand has been better with meeting their launch promises so i'm inclined to beleive them on the i5 launch time but it could be marketing hype like u sed also so who knows. I personally gonna wait for proper DDR3 AM3 boards, may be even the new 800 series chipsets and then i'll decide which way to go, i7 or AM3.